Patents Issued in June 2, 2020
  • Patent number: 10671141
    Abstract: A method of controlling a link state of a communication port of a storage device according to the present inventive concepts includes setting the link state of the communication port to a link active state that can exchange data with a host, determining a holding time of a first standby state among link states of the communication port, changing the link state of the communication port to the first standby state, monitoring whether an exit event occurs during the holding time from the time when a transition to the first standby state occurs, and in response to an exit event not occurring during the holding time, changing the link state of the communication port to a second standby state. A recovery time from the first standby state to the link active state is shorter than a recovery time from the second standby state to the link active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ohsung Kwon, Youngjun Yoo, Hojun Shim, Kwanggu Lee
  • Patent number: 10671142
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing social-geofenced-based application management for battery maximization. Social traffic information is collected for a defined cohort of persons within one or more predefined geofences, wherein the defined cohort of persons is based on one or more individual or group attributes, and the social traffic information includes battery usage for devices used by the defined cohort of persons. The social traffic information is analyzed to classify conditions derived therefrom into one or more categories. Application performance is controlled on a user's device, based on the conditions classified into the categories, to optimize battery usage of the user's device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Bastide, Tushar Kumar Jayantilal, Fang Lu, Ishwarya Rajendrababu
  • Patent number: 10671143
    Abstract: Proxy-less power management using an automation engine is disclosed. An entity manager executing on a computing device determines that a first entity requires a power management function to be performed against the first entity. The entity manager generates power management execution information that identifies a power device address of a power management device that controls the first entity. An automation engine is initiated on the computing device with the power management execution information to cause the power management function to be performed against the first entity via the power management device based on the power management execution information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Red Hat Israel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Roy Golan, Eli Mesika
  • Patent number: 10671145
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a communication interface configured to communicate with a portable terminal capable of receiving a signal from a transmitter in a detection area. A processor of the apparatus is configured to determine whether to shift to an operable state from a sleep state based on user information contained in proximity information when the proximity information, containing the user information indicating that a user enters the detection area, is received by the communication interface from the portable terminal receiving a signal from the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiharu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10671146
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an adaptive power providing device and a method for adaptively providing power to multiple power receiving devices. A power providing device detects at its plugs or ports power drawn by the power receiving devices and adjusts the related port power budget if the drawn power consistently grows over time, thereby avoiding overpower switch-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Wendt, Lennart Yseboodt
  • Patent number: 10671147
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for dynamically managing the power usage and/or performance of an artificial intelligence (AI) hardware accelerator may include (1) receiving an instruction stream that includes one or more instructions for performing at least one AI-specific computing task, (2) identifying a plurality of special-purpose, hardware-based functional units configured to perform AI-specific computing tasks, (3) predicting, based on an analysis of at least a portion of the instruction stream, a power-usage requirement for at least one of the functional units when executing the instruction stream, and then (4) modifying, based on the power-usage requirement, the power supplied to at least one of the functional units. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadav Rotem, Jong Soo Park, Mikhail Smelyanskiy, Abdulkadir Utku Diril
  • Patent number: 10671148
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing efficient power management for a multi-node computing system are disclosed. A computing system including multiple nodes utilizes a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) architecture. A first node receives a broadcast probe from a second node. The first node spoofs a miss response for a powered down third node, which prevents the third node from waking up to respond to the broadcast probe. Prior to powering down, the third node flushed its probe filter and caches, and updated its system memory with the received dirty cache lines. The computing system includes a master node for storing interrupt priorities of the multiple cores in the computing system for arbitrated interrupts. The cores store indications of fixed interrupt identifiers for each core in the computing system. Arbitrated and fixed interrupts are handled by cores with point-to-point unicast messages, rather than broadcast messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Tsien, Bryan P. Broussard, Vydhyanathan Kalyanasundharam
  • Patent number: 10671149
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely applying battery management policies based on local user behavior. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include: a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: receive a battery management policy from a remote server; and apply the battery management policy to the IHS, wherein the battery management policy is selected based upon a local user's behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Jacob Mink, Rick C. Thompson, Nikhil Manohar Vichare
  • Patent number: 10671150
    Abstract: A system comprises a display object having a characteristic of its display configured to change with time in a timing calibration operation; a plurality of video cameras configured to capture images of the display object; and a data processing apparatus comprising a detector configured to detect timing differences in the capture of images by the plurality of video cameras indicative of a change in the characteristic of the display object and to apply the detected timing differences as a timing correction so as to time-align images captured by the plurality of cameras after the timing calibration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Richard James Forster
  • Patent number: 10671151
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for mitigating disorientation of a user transitioning out of a digital reality session. A user login credentials is received. A start digital reality session command is received. User behavior inputs associated with the digital reality session are monitor. In response to analyzing the user behavior inputs, a behavior risk rating associated with the user behavior inputs is generated. An ending event to the digital reality session is detected. A leakage length value based on the generated behavior risk rating is generated. An expected leakage length value based on the analyzed behavior associated with the user and a user profile associated with the user is determined. A leakage risk value based on the behavior risk rating and leakage length value is assigned. In response to the leakage risk value being above a threshold, the digital reality session is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Bastide, Matthew E. Broomhall, Liam S. Harpur, Lin Sun
  • Patent number: 10671152
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are described herein for enabling one or more users to interface with virtual or augmented reality environments. An example system includes a computing network having computer servers interconnected through high bandwidth interfaces to gateways for processing data and/or for enabling communication of data between the servers and one or more local user interface devices. The servers include memory, processing circuitry, and software for designing and/or controlling virtual worlds, as well as for storing and processing user data and data provided by other components of the system. One or more virtual worlds may be presented to a user through a user device for the user to experience and interact. A large number of users may each use a device to simultaneously interface with one or more digital worlds by using the device to observe and interact with each other and with objects produced within the digital worlds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventor: Rony Abovitz
  • Patent number: 10671153
    Abstract: Each user terminal apparatus is connected with a service business enterprise system by a connection business enterprise system in a state that a live image can mutually be transmitted through the service business enterprise system. An user beforehand sets its live image to be appropriately utilized as an advertisement medium, and chooses selling goods to be advertised. A live image transmitted from the user terminal apparatus of the user who performed the aforesaid setting receives a superposed image, for example, by the superposing the T shirt of the user or the like with the image signal of the selling goods as the advertisement object in the service business enterprise system, and then the processed live image signal is transmitted to the user terminal apparatus of a communication companion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoki Nakade, Jun Tanaka, Yoshito Shiraishi, Etsuo Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10671154
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure include a system for providing dynamic virtual reality ground effects. The system includes a user interface surface and multiple motors coupled to the user interface surface. At least one of the motors is coupled to a virtual reality component of an electronic device. A first motor of the multiple motors is driven by movement of the user interface surface and is used to generate a feedback electrical signal in response to the movement of the user interface surface. A second motor of the multiple motors is driven using the feedback electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Steven M. Chapman, Joseph Popp, Alice Taylor, Samy Segura, Mehul Patel
  • Patent number: 10671155
    Abstract: A system for multi-track playback of media content includes: a media device; a user interface, provided at the media device, which displays a visual array of media options, a playback logic, provided within the media device, which is configured so that, while a selected point or region is determined by the user interface as being moved in response to user input, within the visual array of media options, the system determines media options that are proximate to the selected point or region, and adjusts playback parameters for corresponding media content items, by crossfading or otherwise combining playback to reflect the media options relative distances from the selected point or region; and a tempo logic, provided within the media device, which is configured to provide or receive a selected tempo and provide the one or more media content items associated with the selected tempo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SPOTIFY AB
    Inventors: Dariusz Dziuk, Rahul Sen
  • Patent number: 10671156
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus including an image capturing device, a storage device and a processor and an operation method thereof are provided. The image capturing device captures an image for a user, and the storage device records a plurality of modules. The processor is coupled to the image capturing device and the storage device and is configured to: configure the image capturing device to capture a head image of a user; perform a face recognition operation to obtain a face region; detect a plurality of facial landmarks within the face region; estimate a head posture angle of the user according to the facial landmarks; calculate a gaze position where the user gazes on the screen according to the head posture angle, a plurality of rotation reference angle, and a plurality of predetermined calibration positions; and configure the screen to display a corresponding visual effect according to the gaze position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventors: Cheng-Tse Wu, An-Cheng Lee, Sheng-Lin Chiu, Ying-Shih Hung
  • Patent number: 10671157
    Abstract: Methods and devices for presenting a virtual reality image may include receiving head motion information from a positional tracking system that tracks a position and orientation of a head of a user and receiving virtual motion information independent from the head motion information for a virtual reality simulation. The methods and devices may include generating a first scene of the virtual reality simulation based on the virtual motion information and the head motion information. The methods and devices may also include generating a set of visual cues based on the head motion information and rendering a frame including the set of visual cues and the first scene of the virtual reality simulation. The methods and devices may include transmitting the frame of the virtual reality simulation for presentation on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew L. Bronder
  • Patent number: 10671158
    Abstract: Provided are a three-dimensional (3D) rendering method and apparatus that detect eye coordinates of positions of eyes of a user from an image of the user, adjust the eye coordinates to correspond to virtual eye positions that reduce crosstalk caused by refraction of light; and perform 3D rendering of the eyes based on the adjusted eye coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byong Min Kang, Dong Kyung Nam
  • Patent number: 10671159
    Abstract: Triggering a state change includes displaying a first version of a series of frames based on a first setup configuration, obtaining a second setup configuration for the series of frames, in response to obtaining a second setup configuration, monitoring for a change in an eye status, and in response to detecting a change in the eye status, displaying a second version of the series of frames based on the second setup configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sebastian Knorr, Daniel Kurz
  • Patent number: 10671160
    Abstract: Systems and methods for eye tracking calibration in a wearable system are described. The wearable system can present three-dimensional (3D) virtual content and allow a user to interact with the 3D virtual content using eye gaze. During an eye tracking calibration, the wearable system can validate that a user is indeed looking at a calibration target while the eye tracking data is acquired. The validation may be performed based on data associated with the user's head pose and vestibulo-ocular reflex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Joseph Uscinski, Yan Xu, Bradley Vincent Stuart
  • Patent number: 10671161
    Abstract: Eye tracking across multiple displays is supported with re-definition of a gaze vector matrix that correlates a surface of a first display with detected eye gazes as inputs to an information handling system to include a surface of a second display. Eye gazes that correlate to the second display are mapped to the redefined gaze vector matrix, such as with a calibration performed by a user or an estimate derived from tracked eye gazes. The information handling system applies a map of display surface areas to the gaze vector matrix to sort reported eye gazes as at a location of the first display surface, a location of the second display surface or discarded as outside of either display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Karthik Krishnakumar
  • Patent number: 10671162
    Abstract: An eyeball tracking module for video glasses, including: at least two infrared light sources, at least one image sensor assembly and at least one infrared cut-off filtering device. Each of the image sensor assembly comprises an image sensor body and an infrared filter provided in front of the image sensor body. The at least two infrared light sources are fixedly provided in an area laterally in front of an eyeball and are used for emitting infrared light to the eyeball, so as to form, on the eyeball which reflects the infrared light, a reflection point. The at least one image sensor assembly is fixedly provided at an edge or outside of a visual angle of video glasses. The at least one infrared cut-off filtering device is provided in an overlapping area between a reflection light path of the eyeball and an acquisition area of an image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING 7INVENSUN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tongbing Huang, Yunfei Wang
  • Patent number: 10671163
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to refining virtual mesh models through physical contacts. For example, a hand-mounted mobile device, such as a wearable glove, may be used to create and/or emphasize specific points within a virtual mesh model of a physical environment. An indication of physical contact of an interface of the mobile device with a physical object may be obtained via a touch sensor of the mobile device. A location and/or an orientation of the interface of the mobile device during the physical contact with the physical object may be identified based on sensor data obtained from one or more positioning sensors. Location data indicating the location may be stored in a data storage device from which the location data may be referenced. In an example, refinement of a virtual mesh model of a physical environment containing the physical object may be prioritized based on the location data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Liam Kiemele, Christian Michael Sadak, Adolfo Hernandez Santisteban, Scott Christopher Speirs
  • Patent number: 10671164
    Abstract: A method for analyzing electroencephalogram (EEG) signals is disclosed. Information associated with two or more options is presented to a user. EEG signals from a sensor coupled to the user are received contemporaneously to the user receiving information associated with the two or more options. The EEG signals are processed in real time to determine which one of the options was selected by the user. In response to determining which one of the options was selected by the user, an action from one or more possible actions associated with the information presented to the user is selected. An output associated with the selected action is then generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Sarah Ann Laszlo, Gabriella Levine, Joseph Hollis Sargent, Phillip Yee
  • Patent number: 10671165
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a receiver configured to receive data for at least one user interface element to be displayed on a displayed user interface at a location on a display and a tactile feedback signal indicator associated with the at least one user interface element; a touch sensor configured to determine at least one touch location corresponds to the at least one user interface element location of the displayed user interface; and a tactile effect generator configured to generate a tactile feedback signal to be output by the display dependent on the displayed user interface and based on the tactile feedback signal indicator such that the at least one user interface element provides a simulated experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Thorsten Behles, Marko Yliaho
  • Patent number: 10671166
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a haptic actuator. The haptic actuator may include a haptic actuator housing, at least coil carried by the haptic actuator housing, and a Halbach array of permanent magnets movable within the haptic actuator housing responsive to the at least one coil. The electronic device may also include a controller coupled to the at least one coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Arman Hajati
  • Patent number: 10671167
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a device housing, a touch display carried by the device housing and configured to sense a user input at a location thereon, and haptic actuators spaced apart within the device housing. The electronic device may also include a controller coupled to the touch display and the haptic actuators. The controller may be configured to cooperate with the touch display to determine a sensed location of the user input on the touch display, and drive the haptic actuators to focus a haptic sensation at the sensed location on the touch display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Arman Hajati
  • Patent number: 10671168
    Abstract: Described embodiments include a system and a method. A system includes a first ultrasound transmitter acoustically coupled to a conducting layer of a display surface and configured to deliver a first ultrasound wave to a selected delineated area. The first ultrasonic wave has parameters sufficient to induce a non-linear vibrational response in the conducting layer. A second ultrasound transmitter is acoustically coupled to the conducting layer and configured to deliver a second ultrasound wave to the selected delineated area. The second ultrasonic wave has parameters sufficient to induce a non-linear vibrational response in the conducting layer. A controller selects a delineated area in response to an indication of a touch to the display surface, and initiates delivery of the first and second ultrasonic waves. A convergence of the first and second ultrasonic waves at the selected delineated area produces a stress pattern perceivable or discernible by the human appendage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, William Gates, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Tony S. Pan, Robert C. Petroski, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 10671169
    Abstract: A tactile feedback generating apparatus, which applies a tactile feedback to a hand of a user according to an interaction with a virtual object in a virtual space, includes a finger tactile feedback device configured to provide a tactile feedback to a finger, and a palm tactile feedback device configured to provide a pressurized tactile feedback to a palm, wherein the palm tactile feedback device includes at least one pressurizing module disposed at the palm, and wherein the at least one pressurizing module converts a rotational operation into a linear movement to pressurize or release the palm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jaeyoung Park, Bukun Son
  • Patent number: 10671170
    Abstract: A system for directing a user to modify an aspect of a vehicle via haptic output. The system includes one or more haptic output devices disposed proximate to a vehicle device and configured to generate haptic output in response to a control signal. The system further includes a processor coupled to the one or more haptic output devices. The processor is configured to determine that a parameter associated with the vehicle device should be modified, and, in response to the determining, transmit the control signal to the one or more haptic output devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Boulanger, Joseph Verbeke, Stefan Marti, Davide Di Censo
  • Patent number: 10671171
    Abstract: A magnetorheological transmission device and a method for influencing the coupling intensity of two components, which can be coupled and whose coupling intensity can be influenced. To influence the coupling intensity, a channel is provided, which contains a magnetorheological medium with magnetically polarizable particles. A magnetic field generating unit generates a magnetic field in the channel in order to influence the magnetorheological medium in the channel. An outer component encloses an inner component. At least one of the two components is mounted via a separate bearing. A distance between the outer and inner components is at least 10 times as great as a typical mean diameter of the magnetically polarizable particles in the magnetorheological medium. The magnetic field of the magnetic field generating unit can be applied to the channel in order to selectively chain together the particles and/or release them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: INVENTUS Engineering GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Battlogg
  • Patent number: 10671172
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to using gestures to supplant or augment use of a standard input device coupled to a system. It also relates to controlling a display using gestures. It further relates to controlling a system using more than one input device. In particular, it relates to detecting a standard input device that causes on-screen actions on a display in response to control manipulations performed using the standard input device. Further, a library of analogous gestures is identified, which includes gestures that are analogous to the control manipulations and also cause the on-screen actions responsive to the control manipulations. Thus, when a gesture from the library of analogous gestures is detected, a signal is generated that mimics a standard signal from the standard input device and causes at least one on-screen action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Ultrahaptics IP Two Limited
    Inventor: David Holz
  • Patent number: 10671173
    Abstract: A gesture position correcting method includes obtaining position information of a gesture performed by a gesture-performing object, calculating a position deviation of the gesture according to a distance and an angle between a depth camera capturing the gesture and a user eye, and correcting the position information according to the position deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: LENOVO (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fangzhen Peng, Jian Deng, Gefang Ma
  • Patent number: 10671174
    Abstract: Among other things, a user interface device has a sensor configured to detect, at a wrist of a human, nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a muscle to cause a rapid motion of a finger. An output provides information representative of the nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with the intended contraction of the muscle to an interpreter of the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Pison Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dexter W. Ang, David O Cipoletta, Samuel J. Karnes, Michael P. Kowalczyk, Salil H. Patel, Steven D. Trambert, Sidhant Srikumar, Brodey Lajoie
  • Patent number: 10671175
    Abstract: An information processing system that controls a display to display an image generated based on a manipulation target image and an image based on a manipulation target region that is set based on a detection of an object included in acquired image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu Shigeta
  • Patent number: 10671176
    Abstract: This relates to a device that detects a user's motion and gesture input through the movement of one or more of the user's hand, arm, wrist, and fingers, for example, to provide commands to the device or to other devices. The device can include a plurality of myoelectric sensors configured to detect one or more electrical signals from a body part of a user indicative of one or more movements. A plurality of signals indicative of the detected one or more electrical signals may be generated. The device may also include a wireless communication transmitter configured to communicate with a peripheral device and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of myoelectric sensors, use the plurality of signals together to determine a gesture, and communicate one or more of: the plurality of signals and the gesture to the peripheral device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrzej Baranski, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Kuldeep P. Lonkar, Serhan Isikman, Stephen Brian Lynch, Colin M. Ely, Christopher Werner, Erik De Jong, Samuel B. Weiss
  • Patent number: 10671177
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light blocking plate, a light guiding plate, a reflector, a circuit board, a flexible circuit board and a conductive connection element. The light blocking plate is disposed below a keyboard component and includes an emission zone. The light guiding plate is disposed below the light blocking plate and includes a hollowed-out portion. The reflector is disposed below the light guiding plate and includes a through hole. The through hole corresponds in position to the hollowed-out portion. The circuit board is disposed below the reflector. A light-emitting component is disposed on the circuit board. The flexible circuit board is disposed below the reflector which separates the flexible circuit board and the light guiding plate. The conductive connection element is disposed on the circuit board, penetratingly disposed at the hollowed-out portion and the through hole, and connected to the circuit board and the flexible circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CHICONY POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsuan-Wei Ho, Yueh-Heng Lee
  • Patent number: 10671178
    Abstract: A keyboard device is applied to an electronic apparatus and includes a main body, a connection base, a first tilt sensor, a second tilt sensor, and a processor. The connection base is rotatably connected to the main body and configured to detachably be engaged to the electronic apparatus. The first tilt sensor is disposed on the main body and configured to generate first tilt data. The second tilt sensor is disposed on the connection base and configured to generate second tilt data. The processor is electrically connected to the first tilt sensor and the second tilt sensor, and is configured to calculate angle difference data according to the first tilt data and the second tilt data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Hung Wang, Tzu-Chuan Liang, Wei-Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 10671179
    Abstract: A rollable and flexible input device includes a drum, a reel received in the drum, an input device body connected to the reel, and a battery. The reel is rotated relative to the drum so that the input device body is in a rolled-up state or a stretched state. The reel defines a battery cavity, and the battery is disposed in the battery cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SHENZHEN ROYOLE TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xinyuan Xia, Linyu Yu, Songya Chen, Yu Zhou, Gang Chen
  • Patent number: 10671180
    Abstract: Provided are an input device and an electronic apparatus each including capacitive elements and being capable of allowing a plurality of information items to be separately input by simple operations. The input device includes: a capacitive element; a conductor that can be electrostatically coupled to the capacitive element; an operation portion that allows a load to be applied to the conductor; and a retaining portion that retains the conductor apart from the capacitive element. The retaining portion is capable of displacing the conductor with respect to the capacitive element in a stepwise manner in accordance with the load that is applied to the conductor through intermediation of the operation portion, and is capable of retaining the conductor at a plurality of positions with respect to the capacitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taizo Nishimura, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Hiroshi Mizuno, Takashi Itaya, Akira Ebisui, Tomoko Katsuhara, Yoshiteru Taka
  • Patent number: 10671181
    Abstract: Receiving user input. A method includes displaying a set of characters arranged sequentially in a curvilinear or linear fashion such that any one of the characters in the set of characters can be identified for selection by continuous and uniform user input from a user. The method further comprises displaying a plurality of the characters in the set of characters in a fashion where each given character in the plurality of characters is displayed at a level of prominence determined by a probability that the given character is a next character in a string of characters selected by a user. The method further includes receiving user input in a continuous and uniform fashion from a user to identify a character in the set of characters. The method further includes receiving user input selecting the identified character. The method further includes adding the identified character to the string of characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Yaming Xu, Kyohei Tomita
  • Patent number: 10671182
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for integrating text prediction from a text prediction engine into a mechanism for searching/filtering/ordering a plurality of items. In one embodiment, the system comprises a text prediction engine configured to receive user text input relating to a sequence of two or more terms, generate a plurality of word predictions for a first term of the sequence of two or more terms and generate at least one word prediction for a second term of the sequence of two or more terms. The text prediction engine is configured to generate a distribution of candidate word predictions for the sequence of two or more terms using the plurality of word predictions for the first term and the at least one word prediction for the second term. The system further comprises a mechanism for filtering/searching/ordering a plurality of items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOUCHTYPE LIMITED
    Inventors: James Aley, Douglas Orr, Alex Nixon
  • Patent number: 10671183
    Abstract: A keyboard device applicable to various kinds of applications with high responsivity is provided. The keyboard device includes keys to which key addresses are assigned and a memory in which data for determining whether a key has been depressed is writable and readable at an memory address corresponding to each of the key addresses. The device also includes a key capacitance detecting unit to detect a capacitance of the key corresponding to a selected key address, a capacitance-voltage converting unit to convert the capacitance of the key detected by the key capacitance detecting unit into a voltage, a data converting unit that reads threshold data in the memory address in the memory corresponding to the key address that is selected to convert the threshold data into analog data, and a depression determining unit that compares the analog data with the voltage to determine whether the key has been depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOPRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi Sato, Yuichi Toyosawa
  • Patent number: 10671184
    Abstract: A signal input device, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a base member including a bottom surface and a protruding part upwardly protruding from the bottom surface; a push button located on the upper side of the protruding part, and having a downward sidewall formed so as to cover the protruding part; a sensor unit provided on any one of an outer side surface of the protruding part or an inner side surface of the downward sidewall; and a contact point provided on the side, on which the sensor unit is not provided, of the outer side surface of the protruding part or on the inner side surface of the downward sidewall, wherein when the push button moves in a lateral direction, the sensor and the contact point come into contact with each other so as to generate a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ITVERS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youn Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 10671185
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for providing a multipurpose remote control are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Alok Chandel, Pierre-Yves Laligand
  • Patent number: 10671186
    Abstract: An autonomous haptic stylus provides tactile feedback to a user writing or drawing on a smooth, uniform, touch-sensitive, glass display screen of a tablet, laptop computer, credit card point of sale device, or other device allowing a user to write or draw thereon. The stylus has an electrostatic detection sensor or a force/pressure sensor, which allows the stylus to detect certain characteristics of the display screen and to autonomously determine the position and/or velocity of the stylus on the display screen based on those characteristics. The position and/or velocity can be used to tailor the tactile feedback to the user. A display screen digitizer that provides driving signals for the row and column electrodes of a touch-sensitive display screen can be modified to transmit row and column information over the electrodes to allow a stylus to determine its position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Flavio Protasio Ribeiro, Anatoly Yuryevich Churikov
  • Patent number: 10671187
    Abstract: A pen input device sheet, which contacts a tip part of a core body of an electronic pen for a pen input device, includes a resin film layer. A diameter of the tip part is SR. An amount of sinking of the resin film layer is ? and a coefficient of kinetic friction between the resin film layer and the tip part is ?, which change according to a load when the tip part is in contact with the pen input device sheet. When the load applied to the tip part of the core body is changed and corresponding measurements are taken, and the measurements plotted with ? allocated to an ordinate axis and a ratio of ?/SR is allocated to an abscissa axis, a fitted straight line plotted based on the measurements has a proportional relation corresponding to a proportional relation between ? and the ratio of ?/SR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: So Kato, Toshihiko Horie
  • Patent number: 10671188
    Abstract: A multi-touch input system may include: a touch surface; a display separate from the touch surface; and a processor. The processor may be configured to cause the display of an image on a display; detect a multiple-finger gesture on the touch surface; generate a signal indicative of the multiple-finger gesture; determine a speed of the multiple-finger gesture on the touch surface; and move the image proportional to the speed of the multiple-finger gesture. Moving may include moving the image with respect to a first axis when the multiple-finger gesture includes a first number of fingers, and moving the image with respect to a second axis when the multiple-finger gesture includes a second number of fingers different from the first number of fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Grayhill, Inc.
    Inventors: Torsten F. Chase, Kevin M. Dooley, Robert F. Kerner
  • Patent number: 10671189
    Abstract: A trackpad includes: a substrate; a circuit board coupled to the substrate for detecting a position of an object adjacent the substrate; a haptic feedback component coupled to the circuit board; a first plate coupled to the circuit board; a second plate including a spring element, a spacer coupling the circuit board and the spring element to each other, the spring element facilitating first movement of the substrate, the circuit board and the first plate relative to the second plate, the spacer facilitating second movement of at least the substrate and the circuit board by the haptic feedback component; and a capacitive force sensor that detects a capacitance of the first plate and the second plate. A trackpad can include a circuit board coupled to the substrate and including the first plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Diego Rivas Costante, Samuel Vinci, Emily Porter, Steven Jacobs, Guangqun Chen, Maggie Mittan, Andrew Ness, Debanjan Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 10671190
    Abstract: A stylus pen is disclosed that can detect touch signals from a digitizer and dynamically determine which digitizer (e.g., make/model) generated the touch signals. The stylus pen can then switch to one of a plurality of candidate protocols, without interaction from the user, so as to communicate with the digitizer. The digitizer need not explicitly communicate what protocol it supports to the stylus pen. Rather, the stylus pen analyzes the digitizer waveforms and compares the waveforms to known signatures to determine which digitizer is being used. The stylus pen can then dynamically set a protocol used to communicate with the digitizer that matches the protocol expected by the digitizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Flavio Protasio Ribeiro, Steven Bathiche, Woo Suk Lee
  • Patent number: 10671191
    Abstract: A writing pen includes at least one processor, a fingerprint acquiring device, and an information generating device. The fingerprint acquiring device is arranged on a surface of the pen, the information generating device is arranged within the writing pen. Magnetic ink is in the writing pen. The fingerprint acquiring device takes a fingerprint when the user grips the writing pen, the processor acquires the fingerprint information and generates an electric signal reflecting the fingerprint information. The signal is transmitted to the information generating device, the information generating device imparts the fingerprint information to the magnetic ink, thus handwriting written by the writing pen with the magnetic ink records the fingerprint information of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wen-Ru He